16. Alliances

Xander POV

The destruction before our eyes after the confrontation with Chelsea almost left every one of us weakened. The dark forest, once a place of solace and familiarity, was now a shattered battlefield. I could feel the raw pain and weariness emanating from everyone who survived the brutal attack from Chelsea, Vesper's minions and from the shadows of the Destroyer. Chelsea has disappeared as the darkness dissolved, together with the minions she's inherited from Vesper. 

"We need to get to the pack house," I said, grabbing Isabelle's trembling hand as the other warriors and officers we have left to guard the packhouse reached us. They would be helping the wounded and transporting the demised warriors. I could feel how weakened she has become because of her encounter with Chelsea and the shadow of the Destroyer. "Everyone has gathered there. We need to strategize." 

We received a message earlier that rogues were seen on the southside of the pack territory. I called to some warriors to check on it myself but Isabelle had a feeling it was more than rogues and insisted on coming along. It seems her instinct was spot on. Maybe, she really is Chelsea's twin?

Isabelle nodded, her eyes wide with fear and determination. We shifted and made our way to the pack house through the path that was littered with fallen trees and debris, a blatant reminder of the Destroyer's unleashed power that could easily end us all once he is truly out of his cage. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and death, a symbol of the chaos we have had to tackle.

The packhouse was a flurry of activity when we arrived. Wolves were rushing in and out, some are roaming the grounds, some in their human forms, others fully shifted and ready for battle. The tension in the air was palpable, a mix of fear, determination, and the unyielding resolve to protect our home.

"Xander! Isabelle!" Seraphina's voice called out from the main hall. We wearily turned to see her striding towards us, her face lined with worry and urgency. "We need to talk."

I held Isabelle close to me as we followed Seraphina into a small room off the main hall, where a group of our pack's leaders and a few unfamiliar faces were gathered. Among them were a couple of vampires, their eyes glowing with a supernatural light, and a witch whose aura pulsed with raw energy.

"This is Arianne and Damian," Seraphina said, introducing the vampire and the witch respectively. "They're here representing their communities. The Destroyer's attack isn't just on us. It's on all supernatural's. The Destroyer staged attacks on every supernatural realm, all at one time. What you saw as him with Chelsea, every attacked community also saw. The devastation in every attacked community is no different from the others." 

Arianne, a tall and elegant vampire with piercing blue eyes, spoke first. "We have received reports of similar attacks on vampire covens across the region. The Destroyer's forces have targeted us all at one time, trying to weaken us before a full-scale assault."

Damian, the witch, nodded. "The witches have also been targeted. Several of our sacred sites have been desecrated, and our coven leaders are scrambling to protect our people."

Seraphina turned to me and Isabelle. "This isn't just about us anymore. We need to unite with other supernatural beings if we're going to stand a chance against the Destroyer."

My mind raced. Forming a stronger and bigger alliance was a daunting task, but it was our only hope. I will have to confer with my father who has gone to the king's pack kingdom, together with my mother, to confer with the king, but I am sure he would want this alliance as well. "How do we do that? There's been tension between our groups for centuries."

Damian's eyes met mine, his gaze steady. "We start by putting our differences aside and recognizing the greater threat. We're stronger together than apart."

Isabelle stepped forward, the earlier weariness on hold, her voice steady and filled with a quiet strength. "We need to find out what the Destroyer's specific plans are and stop him. We'll protect our families, our homes, and our world. But we can't do it alone."

There was a murmur of agreement from the others in the room. I felt a surge of hope. Despite the looming threat, we had a chance. United, we were stronger. And together, we would face whatever came our way.

As the meeting continued, strategies were discussed, alliances were forged, and a plan began to take shape. The battle ahead would be fierce, but we will be ready. And I knew, with Isabelle by my side, we would fight for our future, our family, and our world.

The Destroyer POV

The energy crackled around me as I surveyed the destruction I had wrought from my soon-to-be destroyed cage. The forest, once a symbol of the werewolves' strength, was now a testament to my power. The forces I had summoned moved through the trees, tearing apart everything in their path, killing as many warrior werewolves as they can. My minions, shadowy figures with eyes that glowed like embers, spread out, sowing chaos and fear in every supernatural realm. And all at one time. That is how powerful I am.

But this was just the beginning. My true target was not the werewolves alone but the entire supernatural world. Each group had something I needed, a piece of the puzzle that would allow me to ascend to my true form and claim dominion over all of the supernaturals.

I could feel the resistance growing, the alliances forming. I have expected this. They would all try to stand against me, to protect their insignificant lives and their fragile peace. But they didn't understand the power I wielded, the darkness that fueled me.

I reached out, my senses expanding, touching the minds of my followers. Chelsea was among them, her mind a swirling storm of anger and confusion. She is useful, a tool to sow discord and weaken the wolves from within, especially among the pack where her sister now belongs. But she is weak, a liability, her ties to her sister a potential weakness. She is weaker than her sister in every aspect. But I could use her for now, until the time that I don't need her... 

"Prepare for the next phase," I commanded, my voice echoing through the minds of my minions. "We move at dawn."

The darkness deepened, and I felt a surge of satisfaction. The game had begun, and soon, the world would bow to me.